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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. bore — to drill
  3. pitch — completely
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. hand — in cards
  7. march — the month
  8. board — a committee
  9. march — the month
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. deal — to handle
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. dip — to sink
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. content — happy
  19. hand — help
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. bore — to tire
  24. hand — part of the body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com